The Myth of the Toad King

The Myth of the Toad King

Bang Fai, otherwise known as the Rocket Festival, is celebrated every year in northeast Thailand and Laos. Ask anyone who knows anything about the Rocket Festival and they’ll probably tell you that Bang Fai are launched every year in April to bring rain.

This centuries old tradition is said to have its origins in an ancient story known as The Myth of the Toad King. However, what’s strange about this myth is that it seems to imply the opposite of what Bang Fai is all about. It says that rain brings the rockets. As presented by Yasothon and Nong Khai:

When the Lord Buddha was in his bodhisatta incarnation as King of the Toads, and married to Udon Khuruthawip, his sermons drew everyone, creatures and sky-dwellers alike, away from Phaya Thaen, King of the Sky.

Angry Phaya Thaen withheld life-giving rains from the earth for seven years, seven months, and seven days. Acting against the advice of the Toad King, Phaya Naga, King of the Nāga (and personification of the Mekong) declared war on Phaya Thaen — and lost.

Persuaded by Phaya Naga to assume command, King Toad enlisted the aid of termites to build mounds reaching to the heavens, and of venomous scorpions and centipedes to attack Phaya Thaen’s feet, and of hornets for air support. Previous attempts at aerial warfare against Phaya Thaen in his own element had proved futile; but even the Sky must come down to the ground. On the ground the war was won, and Phaya Thaen sued for peace. Naga Rockets fired in the air at the end of the hot, dry season are not to threaten Phaya Thaen, but to serve as a reminder to him of his treaty obligations made to Lord Bodhisatta Phaya Khang Khok, King of the Toads, down on the ground. For his part Phaya Nak was rewarded by being given the duty of Honor Guard at most Thai and Lao temples.

After the harvest of the resulting crops, Wow thanoo, man-sized kites with a strung bow, are staked out in winter monsoon winds. They are also called Túi-tiù, singing kites, from the sound of the bowstring singing in the wind, which sing all through the night, to signal Phaya Thaen that he has sent enough rain.

The Bang Fai were being launched just as we arrived in Vang Vieng at the beginning of the rainy season in the sixth lunar month of the year. As it turns out, the dancing and singing, the floats, and the rocket-firing all worked their charms to convince the skies to cry for them. Colorful umbrellas dotted the riverbanks as contestants climbed up hand-made ladders and platforms to launch their home-made rockets.

The Rocket Festival has been practiced for centuries throughout cities and villages in Northern Thailand and Laos. Ask anyone why the event is celebrated and they will tell you that they launch big, loud rockets into the sky to stir up the skies and bring rains for the upcoming planting season.

Bang Fai come in various shapes and sizes. Rockets are judged on the height they reach and the distance traveled. Points are also given for exceptionally beautiful vapor trails.

The highly-anticipated launch of the nine meter long Bang Fai Lan are the pinnacle of the event. The extremely expensive and dangerous Bang Fai Lan are charged with 120kg of black powder and make an impressive ending to the festival.  These bad boys wow the crowds by shooting several kilometers into the air. However, what goes up must come down and therein lies the danger. One of these rockets exploded 5o m meters in the air a few minutes after launch. It killed five people and injured eleven others.

This centuries old rocket festival is thought to have evolved from pre-Buddhist fertility rites, which were held to celebrate and encourage the coming of rain. This makes the festival quite wanton. Patrons, floats, and rockets highlight phallic symbols and imagery. Cross-dressing is also a custom on this day, as well as the consumption of large quantities of Lao Whiskey, beer, and sato, which is a brewed rice alcohol that is similar to Japanese sake. All in all, it makes for one heck of a great party. There’s no denying the excitement of spectators and competitors alike. This is one festival you won’t want to miss.

The Golden Stupa (Pha That Luang Temple) in Vientiane is the most magnificent stupa in Laos and also one of the most recognizable. The ashes of kings of different dynasties and accomplished monks are preserved here, and it is believed to hold a relic of the Lord Buddha. It is the national symbol and pride of Laos, and a symbol of both Buddhist religion in Cambodia and sovereignty in Laos.

The 45 meters tall golden stupa was built in 1566 when the country’s capital city was moved to Vientiane from Luang Prabang. It is the site of worship by monks and other devout Buddhists throughout the year.

The  biggest annual event of the year, the That Luang Festival, is held in November. It takes place on the full moon of November and lasts for seven days and seven nights. The festival opens with a procession of hundreds of monks. They visit the stupa to receive alms and votives early in the morning of the first day. The festivities continue throughout the week and end with offerings of banana leaves and flowers, which are placed reverently upon the temple.

This is what traveling is all about.  A hiking expedition in Northern Laos brings us to a small mountain village situated along a peaceful riverbank.

While trekking through Northern Lao, we happened upon a village high in the mountains.  There are still places in Asia where foreigners are a rare and unexpected treat.  This was one of those times.

Verdant green valleys and mountains were the first thing I noticed on our first morning in Xieng Khuang Province.  The numerous bomb craters dotting the land were a close second. Traveling through this northern province of Laos, it was easy to see how it was utterly devastated by the Vietnam War. Between 1964 and 1973, almost every village and town in the province was decimated, including the original capital city of of Xieng Khuang.

The capital was moved to the town of Ponsavon after 1975, but the bare, dusty roads of this town hardly seem fit for a capital city and seem more appropriate in a Wild West movie.  There’s nothing in town that holds any interest. There are a few markets, a bank and several hotels and guesthouses.  Its biggest drawcard is the enigmatic Plain of Jars.

The rolling green meadows lying just outside of town are home to hundreds of giant stone jars of various shapes and sizes, apparently carved from solid boulders.  There are three sites. Site 1 is the biggest and it boasts 250 jars weighing between 600kg and a tonne each. The largest jar weighs over six tonnes.  Sites 2 and 3 are also quite picturesque. There is a even a large cave in the area which was used by the locals as a bomb shelter during the war. Local families would hide out in the cave and wait for the planes to stop flying over their heads.

There are several stories surrounding the origins of these magnificent artifacts of history.  One legend tells of a race of giants who inhabited the area 1500 to 2000 years ago, and were ruled by a king by the name of Khun Cheung. Supposedly, the king had the jars created to brew wine. Archaelogists also speculate that the jars could have been used for food storage or sarcophagi. It has also been suggested that the jars were used to collect water during monsoon season for caravan travelers passing through the area. There is still no firm explanation as to what purpose these jars served.

This amazing archaelogical site has remained one of the most dangerous in the world because it is studded with unexploded bombs. Further studies have been slow to progress because of this. The peaceful hills of these fields don’t speak of the dangers laying beneath the soil.  Efforts are being made to rid the area of these bombs and walking trails are clearly marked by white stone bricks.  These meter-wide pathways have been cleared of bombs by bomb-removal squads.  The element of danger that surrounds these myseterious sites lends an unexpected thrill. One can’t help but ponder over how these jars have withstood the test of time and the ravages of war.

Despite being neighbors with Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, Laos remains refreshingly different from the regular Asian travel circuit. Northern Laos remains somewhat isolated from foreign influences, especially the hill tribe mountain villages.

To date, Laos remains at the top of my list for backpacking Southeast Asia. The people are friendly, the food is great, the weather was perfect, and the scenery was breathtaking. No tourist traps. No commercialism. No scams or shady dealers.  We were able to enjoy our time in Laos because of the people we met and the moments we shared.

Just a few short hours from Laos’ ancient capital city of Luang Prabang, travelers can enjoy traditional Southeast Asian culture.  Some of the mountain villages we passed through were places out of time. We were surprised to meet these kind, hospitable people who were open, honest and completely candid in their dealings with us.

Our three day trek with an experienced guide took us through the high mountains of Northern Laos from Luang Prabang to Xieng Khoang province. The journey took us up and around some of the most stunning landscape I’ve ever seen.

Lush rolling green mountains, rustic hill tribe villages and crop fields dotted the mountain sides.  We stopped at several hill tribe villages along the way to take in the scenery and meet some of the beautiful, colorful people that inhabit the area.

These hill tribes encompass the various tribal groups that immigrated from China and Tibet over the past centuries, and who now inhabit the remote border areas between Northern Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

These people are farmers who still use ancient slash and burn agricultural techniques to farm the heavily forested land.  (Wikipedia)  We saw evidence of this everywhere we went, passing by large burnt patches of land and freshly cultivated plots of land.

The lifestyles of these ethnic groups varied as we traveled.  None of the villages had electricity.  Their lives revolve around the sun. Work starts when the sun comes up and bedtime comes when the sun goes down. There was one water pump for each village.

Animals had free reign with pigs, chickens, roosters goats and dogs inhabiting the same living space as everyone else.  The young girls of each tribe had their own responsibilities.  Most seemed to be caring for the babies and younger children.  Their eyes are already old and wise beyond their years. They’ve already seen so much in their short lives.

We came upon this village on our second day on the road. Our stop was completely unplanned.  We were having problems with the engine and needed to buy some water.  When we arrived, no one was in sight, but as we made our way down to a nearby river, we noticed small faces creeping out from behind closed doors.

A young girl in traditional clothing with a baby strapped on her back kept pace with us as we wandered along. Soon enough, we were joined by her shy, young friends, who all solemnly stood back and watched us closely.

Here are a few of the young faces we saw in this village:

Children hanging around on a mountain path above us.  They weren’t sure what to do when we arrived, but their curiousity got the better of them when they realized we meant no harm.

A young girl with her siblings.

Portrait of a traditional Lao family.

A young girl in traditional dress with a toddler strapped to her back.

Family portrait.

The following photos were taken from a village just outside of Luang Prabang:

From a village we visited late on our first day of travel.

These faces will stay in my heart and mind forever. Laos is an incredible journey.

Wat Prah Buddhabat, also known as Buddha’s Footprint temple, is located on Phu Si Hill in the ancient city of Luang Prabang, Laos. This enigmatic temple features a three meter long footprint of Buddha. It is believed to be one of the footprints of Buddha when he touched the ground after reaching enlightenment.These footprints can be found all over South-East Asian Buddhist countries and represent the Buddha’s presence. Buddha’s footprints demonstrate that the teachings of Buddha have been reached and are respected.

The Royal Palace Museum of Luang Prabang is set back off the main street of Sisavang Wong, directly across from Phu Si Hill. Its tall, swaying palm trees and elegant rooftop dominate the skyline. It’s a beautiful museum to visit, especially if you’re trying to avoid the heat of the day and glean information about local history.

Otherwise known as The Golden Hall or Haw Kham, the Royal Palace Museum was built in 1904. We really enjoyed wandering around this beautiful museum and were especially intrigued to learn that the palace was specifically built on this site to allow visitors traveling by way of the Mekong River to gain entry to the palace upon arrival.

The royal living quarters remain as they were when occupied by the royal family. Interestingly enough, many locals believe that the palace is haunted by the spirits of the royal family.

The palace museum contains royal religious artifacts and a collection of prized artwork. There’s also an interesting collection of diplomatic artifacts, such as paintings, silver and china, which were given as gifts to the monarchy by the heads of state.

Other interesting objects of note are the wall murals depicting everyday life, silk screens made by the queen, musical instruments, masks, royal vestaments and the king’s elephant chair; engraved elephant tusks and an amazing collection of Buddha images.

Be sure to dress appropriately . Visitors who aren’t dressed properly won’t be granted admittance.

The Royal Palace Museum

Admission $2 U.S

Hours of Operation: 8-11am & 1:30-4pm